“Who wants their fortune read today?”

Jongin, Lu Han, Yi Xing and Sehun crowd around Kyungsoo’s desk as he speaks.

“Me!” Yi Xing pipes up and immediately grabs a chair and sits opposite Kyungsoo. Jongin rolls his eyes and Lu Han sighs as they watch one side of Kyungsoo’s heart shaped lips twitch up mischievously before he closes his eyes and grabs Yi Xing’s hand, drawing random scribbles on the gullible Chinese’s palm with the tip of his index finger.

“I really hope I get luck today.” Yi Xing whispers to Lu Han, who nods with a tight smile. Sehun covers his mouth and tries not to laugh aloud at Yi Xing’s excitement.

“Om ….” Kyungsoo murmurs, and Sehun wonders how he can keep such a straight face when tricking someone for their money. “Om … nom nom nom…” Yi Xing shifts in his seat almost nervously. 

“What is it? What is it?” Yi Xing asks eagerly, eyes wide as he stares at Kyungsoo’s annoyed expression, mistaking it for concentration. “Have you seen something different?”

“Shut up.” Sehun speaks up after having confirmed that he’s able to keep his laughter down. Still, a choked chuckle escapes his lips accidentally, which Lu Han catches. The older man glares at Sehun warningly. Sehun ignores it. “He’s trying to read you, you idiot. You’re only going to break his concentration.”

At that, Yi Xing quiets down considerably, Jongin facepalms, and Lu Han lets out a loud huff of frustration before moving away to another group.

“You … you’re going to have immense black luck today. Black everywhere!” Kyungsoo breathes, and Jongin sometimes wonders why he has a secret crush on this guy. Yi Xing gasps dramatically, and Sehun turns towards his desk to choke out a laugh.

While Yi Xing is busy shutting his eyes tightly, praying for a better fortune, Kyungsoo’s open ever so slightly as he spots a panda keychain on a random girl’s bag before smoothly closing his eyes again. “Pandas … pandas everywhere!”

“Oh no …” Yi Xing sobs. “Maybe my parents will have to take me back to China… what if I don’t come back? What more is there? Wha – “

“That is enough for today.” Kyungsoo speaks in a businesslike tone, getting up from his seat abruptly and extending his hand. Yi Xing shakily gives him the money then rushes over to Lu Han, a horrified expression on his face. 

“Maybe that was a bit much.” Jongin says after he’s sure Yi Xing and Lu Han are out of earshot. Kyungsoo just smiles his innocent-like smile and pats Jongin on the back, unaware that it elicits a small blush from the taller.

“It was fun.” Kyungsoo smiles, and this time his smile has a tinge of devil in it. “I figured telling him the same thing would be boring, and would eventually result in no profit.” Jongin stares at him, not amused.

“Well, it’s all about the money, isn’t it?” Kyungsoo adds, and starts singing ‘Price tags’ with the lyrics ‘it’s all about the money, we all need your money’. “Besides, I’m spiritual enough as it is. Don't you think?”

“Spiritual my ,” Sehun murmurs under his breath. “More like Satan from the depths of hell for short midgets.” Jongin laughs. Kyungsoo stops singing and glares at Sehun with his wide, wide eyes. For a moment, Sehun is scared that Kyungsoo might hit him with his powerful blow, but maybe today is a lucky day.

“Your life is going to change today,” Kyungsoo speaks up, and even though the tone of his voice is serious, Sehun knows he’s joking. “something is going to happen today that will change your life.”

“Like what?” Sehun scoffs. “Pandas?”

“It will.” Kyungsoo nods, his face expressionless.

“Wanna bet? 50000 won?” Sehun smirks, and sometimes Kyungsoo’s neutral expression and the way he can conceal his emotions so well scares Sehun. Maybe he really is Satan in disguise. Sehun thinks. I wouldn't be surprised.

“Fine.” Kyungsoo replies confidently, and Sehun can’t help but gulp slightly before the teacher walks in and yells for them to get to their seat. Jongin sits behind Sehun and beside Kyungsoo, and this is their assigned seats (much to Sehun's distaste at having to deal with Jongin's fangirl and Kyungsoo's evil). Sehun doesn’t see them negotiating on the betting money.

 

 

 

 

 

 

“We have a new student today.” The teacher calls out, and before anyone can react, a figure strolls in confidently. Sehun can see from the corner of his eye at the tall figure, but doesn't pay much attention. It isn’t the intimidating aura that the new kid gives out, but Yi Xing’s terrified yelp that wakes everyone up from their momentary morning slumber.

“HE’S ALL BLACK!” Yi Xing whispers ferociously to Lu Han, who’s sitting next to him, and breaks down in horrified sobs that lack tears. Lu Han rolls his eyes and pats his back before sending a glare across the room at Kyungsoo. Kyungsoo ignores it but lets out the tiniest hint of a smirk that wouldn't have been noticed if Sehun didn't know him so well.

“Introduce yourself, kid.” The teacher booms, and this time Sehun looks up. It's a boy with jet-black hair and a tan complexion as he wears expensive black clothes of the famous Gucci brand. It's true - the boy is almost black from head to toe. Yi Xing’s so paranoid, Sehun rolls his eyes.

This kid is nothing special at all. Still, his eyes are something new …

And he has a strange presence. Like a loud bark but a gentle bite. Fierce outside but soft inside.

Sehun doesn’t know why he thinks that.

“My name is Huang Zi Tao, but you can call me Tao. I’m from Qingdao, China, and I just transferred here on my own because …” Sehun notices the slight stumbling of his words and the bite of that lip before he continues. “… because I think Korea is a beautiful place.”

Murmurs fill the room, and Yi Xing’s calmed down now, because this time he’s actually excited. Another Chinese! Sehun hears him speak to Lu Han, who nods in agreement, his bright eyes sparkling even more in curiosity.

“What else?” Someone calls, obviously trying to stall class. Murmurs of agreement float up into the air despite the teacher's protests.

“I … learnt a little of Korean beforehand, and I like … uh, strolling on the beach, uh, alone…" Sehun scoffs a little that that. "...and I’m … good at wushu… I … uh – “

“SHOW US! SHOW US!” They chorus, and despite the teacher’s protests again, the students get up from their seats and urge the new kid out. Sehun and the others follow until they’re out in the courtyard, where the birds are singing and the blue sky shining innocently down.

Tao has a long stick in his hand and there are students surrounding him. Sehun sees the teacher in the corner of his eye, keeping an eye out for the principal. Tao’s a bit nervous, Sehun can tell, but at the same time there’s a sort of fire that’s sparkling in those unique eyes.

Then he moves.

The class is awed as they watch. Tao starts off amazingly with a kick as he heads off into the air, doing a spin of his body before landing on the ground with precision. He gets up from his catlike pose, and everyone’s watching in a trance as he starts spinning the stick in his hands –

-and it spins off his grip, tumbling onto the ground not so far away and nearly hitting a terrified girl before it touches the ground.

The whole world quietens – even the birds that had been chirping are silent. Tao’s still in the same position before he flung the stick accidentally away, and his mouth is gaping and his eyes wide, expression matching those of the horrified ones of his peers. Then he gets into a standing position and covers his face in his hands in embarrassment and dejection.  Half the class start walking away, muttering disappointedly to themselves, and some pat Tao’s back while others are still gaping. Eventually everyone’s gone except for Tao, Jongin, Sehun, Yi Xing and Lu Han.

“Wow, you were amazing.” Yi Xing blurts out as he goes and introduces himself, and then him, Tao and Lu Han start speaking in Chinese. Jongin and Sehun stand there and watch them, mostly because they don’t want to go back to class.

Suddenly Yi Xing lets out a gasp and falls into Lu Han’s hands.

“I betcha they were talking about pandas,” Jongin observes, and Sehun agrees half-heartedly. He doesn’t know why, but he keeps finding himself staring at those unique looking eyes.

 

 

 

 

 

“Hey, Sehunnie.” Baekhyun chirps when Sehun opens the door to their dorm room.

“Ew, it’s Baek-hyung.” Sehun deadpans as he throws his books and himself on his bed, sighing in relief and closing his eyes at the softness that always seemed to invite him into the world of pleasure. Sehun can feel Baekhyun roll his eyes at the comment even though his face is stuffed into the soft sheets of his bed. It’s when he hears the door click open that he opens his eyes.

“Where are you going?” He sits up, and he doesn’t know why he’s asking, because he already knows the answer.

“Chanyeollie.” Baekhyun replies with a large smile on his face, and he’s got his pyjamas and books and just about everything in his hands.

“Again?” Sehun sighs and jumps back onto his bed, kicking his legs up in the air in frustration. “You know it’s hard for me to sleep at night! Alone!”

“Kkaeb song.” Baekhyun lets out an apologetic smile. “I don’t see Yeollie much anymore, and besides, he’s got his own room to himself, lucky bastard.”

“What about m – “

“I see you every day!"

"Hyung, I'm sorry for greeting you like that, and I - "

"Don’t even think about doing aegyo. Goodbye and goodnight.”  With that, the door closes, leaving Sehun feeling like an abandoned puppy out alone on a deserted street.

 

 

 

 

 

“What’s wrong?” Jongin asks with his mouth full when they’re at the school cafeteria eating dinner. Sehun grunts and stuffs more food in his mouth.

“I have to sleep alone again.” Sehun grumbles eventually. Jongin nods sympathetically for a while, then asks “Hey, are you going to eat that?” He points to the chicken. Sehun sighs.

“Take it.” Jongin smiles widely and grabs Sehun’s plate, clearing the contents of the food from it quite happily.

“Well? Aren’t you going to room with me tonight?” Sehun asks, watching his best friend intently. Jongin visibly and forcibly gulps down his chicken, his eyes darting around nervously.

“You know it’s against the rules …” He replies nervously, and seems to have lost appetite (probably because he's already finished the chicken). Sehun rolls his eyes.

“Everyone does it. Besides, you’re never the one tied down by rules.” Sehun narrows his eyes suspiciously.

“Uh … actually …” Jongin gulps again, knowing he just got caught. “I-I just managed to ask Jongdae-hyung to swap with K-Kyungsoo and he’s moving in today …”

Sehun’s mouth drops open.

"And ... I ... uh, don't want him to feel unwelcome you know, since it's the first day and everything ..."

He just cannot believe that Jongin so blatantly chose Kyungsoo over him.

Why is everyone abandoning him today?

“Whatever.” Sehun huffs and ignores Jongin’s apologetic puppy gaze, flushing red at how idiotic he must’ve looked trying to ask his taken friend something so childish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The clock ticks away the minutes as each second passes, but each 100 ticks feels like 100 lifetimes to Sehun as he lies there on his bed, staring at the ceiling in darkness. Alone.

He hasn’t stopped pitying himself.

The world is so quiet that Sehun can hear his heart beating against his chest. Suddenly he’s wondering if there are burglars and ghosts hovering in his room. Stop it, he thinks to himself as he rolls to his side, clutching his blankets closer around him. You know that’s not true. Thieves and murderers have to go through about a hundred rooms before they can arrive at mine, and … and ghosts don’t even exist!

Do they?

As if answering his question, Sehun begins hearing noises outside on the dorm hallways. His heart stops, and he freezes all movement. Suddenly Sehun decides that he wants his solitude back. There’s a scuffling noise, then footsteps, then the same noise again, then more footsteps, as if someone’s dragging something …

…A dead body?

What terrifies Sehun even more is that the murderer seems to be coming closer. And closer.

Pass me, pass me … Sehun squeezes his eyes shut and repeats those words over and over in his head. He’s briefly wondering if he’s read too many horror novels or if this is just a horrible nightmare.

Either way, the end result is always the same.

The person stops, and Sehun’s daring enough to peek at the hallway lights shining through the cracks of his door. He gasps softly when he sees the shadow block the lights from shining onto his side of the door.

The murderer is on the other side.

I’mgoingtodieI’mgoingtodieI’mgoingtodie –

He can’t breathe anymore, because he’s praying and praying that his door is locked. That never seems to stop murders or ghosts from coming through though, never in those movies that he’s watched.

Sehun’s eyes rest on the doorknob, widening bigger than ever when he sees it slowly turn, and in his head he’s killing himself for forgetting to lock it, cursing Baekhyun for leaving him, cursing his parents for leaving him in this damned rich boarding school, and making a mental note to murder Jongin for ditching him in this mess.

Jongin, you’re going to hell for this.

But you’d like it, wouldn’t you? After all, there’s Satan Kyungsoo to look after you.

Heart beating erratically in his chest, Sehun can feel the adrenalin through his veins, and he’s already contemplating whether or not he can outrun a murderer with a knife or just a malicious ghost that can probably float to the other side of the boarding school before Sehun can say ‘yehet’. Maybe he can really outrun the person, since he’s dragging a dead body with him.

Maybe if he screams, the monster will go away. Maybe if he screams, people will come over to check up on him, and the murderer will have more victims to go through before it can get to him. Maybe if he summons Kyungsoo, Kyungsoo will come and use his Satan powers to defend him.

Sehun doubts it.

But before he can do anything, the door opens and the lights come on, blinding Sehun momentarily.

Oh god, I didn’t even see my death coming. Sehun thinks to himself. Am I in heaven already?

When his eyes adjust, he finds a toned body and a mass of black hair slumped on the now-closed door with a large bag obviously too big for him in front of him.

It’s the new kid.

They stare at each other, mouths dropping open before they simultaneously point to each other and shout out “Who are you? What are you doing here?”

Sehun's past humiliation of assuming the new kid was a murderer had already slipped his mind, his fear replaced by a momentary relief and sudden annoyance.

“Well, duh. I’ve been living in this room for, what was it again? Five to six year –”

“Someone told me that this is my room –”

“And the last time I checked I was perfectly assigned to this room thank you very much –”

“That jerk promised me a huge full room to m –”

“I better go tell Baek-hyung to come back and sort this ou – ”

“Damn that giant why did he  - ”

“Well either way,”

“Well either way,”

“THIS IS MY ROOM!”

“THIS IS MY ROOM!”

Their rants end simultaneously, then they’re panting, Sehun on his bed and Tao on the floor, still glaring at each other.

“Wait.” Sehun stops and blinks. “Did you say giant? You mean Chanyeol-hyung?”

“Whatever his name is.” Tao spits. “Those stupid ears piss me off every time I see them.”

“He got a new roommate?” Sehun gapes. “Well, about ti – ”

“No, he’s living with that shortie … What’s his name? The one whose eyes are so small and he just cannot stop talking.”

“Baek-hyung. He’s the one that’s rooming with me.”

“Well, they both kicked me out and told me to come here, because they’re rooming together and there was a mistake…”

“…”

“Oh .” They both say together.

 

 

 

 

 

“They never told me I had to room with someone.” Tao grumbles as he starts unpacking his bag.

Sehun rolls his eyes, offended at that comment.

“Feel free to walk out.” Sehun replies even though he’s secretly glad someone’s with him. “I’m not objecting. In fact, I’d be glad if you would.”

They glare at each other.

“Oh-kay,” Tao slowly speaks and gets up. “I’m taking that bed over there.” He points to Sehun’s bed, one that is obviously bigger and softer than the other – the one that Sehun had blackmailed Baekhyun into giving him. Sehun gapes.

“No!” Before either of them can blink, they have already rushed towards the bed, fighting for their lives, because right now they are actually fighting over their future, which will come to an end if any one of them loses to the other. Eventually, Tao’s strong muscles from training and practising wushu come in handy and he throws Sehun’s belongings onto the other bed, cackling madly to himself.

And to think I thought he was intimidating and cool. Sehun thinks to himself as he sends death glares towards Tao’s satisfied back. Now he's just childish and immature.

He gives up because he’s too tired anyway and he has a test tomorrow, so he needs to wake up early in the morning to study for it.  He says all this aloud.

“You’ll pay for this,” he seethes as he turns off the light and gets into bed, wincing at how creaky and small it is. Tao responds with a gleeful laugh.

“Goodnight.” He cackles, then the room quietens. Sehun sighs in relief – today was a long day – he just needs to get some good rest before he can get up and study –

Loud music sounds suddenly in the room, jerking Sehun awake again. It’s coming from Tao’s end.

“Shut up!” He shouts.

“I can’t sleep without music!” Tao shouts back. “I either need body warmth or music in order to sleep! Do you want me to get in bed with you?”

Sehun shudders.

“BAEK-HYUNG! COME BACK TO ME!” He whines, and sobs himself to sleep.

 

 

 

 

 

The world is beautiful.

He’s in a world where everything seems so heavenly, with the birds chirping from the trees and a nice smell of flowers wafting inside his nose. If only that constant annoying sound akin to his late alarm bell screaming at him to get up –

Sehun gets up quickly, gaping in shock when he sees the sunlight spilling from the window, brightening up the whole room, then turns towards his alarm clock, one that he usually uses as a last resort just in case he’s late.

And damn, he’s late.

Throwing the covers off him, Sehun gets up and rushes to the cupboard, or tries to, but his feet catch on something on the floor and he trips. When he gets up, he sees an unfamiliar bag on the ground.

Then everything from last night rushes back into him. When he opens his wardrobe, he only sees unrecognisable clothes that are not his, and they are all Gucci brands.

Just then, the door opens and whistling fills the room.

“Tao!” He shouts, turning around and pointing an accusing finger at the boy who just entered, then pointing at the wardrobe beside him. “Take your clothes out.”

“What?” Tao stares at him innocently. “We’re sharing this room, so we have to share everything else too.”

“I don’t care. You barged into my room, and now you’re stealing everything from m –”

“Sharing is caring.”

“I … you …argh, I’m late!” Sehun gives up once more, making a mental note to take revenge later, and instead finds his clothes thrown on the floor (“Damn you, Tao”).

“Why didn’t you wake me up?” Sehun growls as he gathers his toiletries to brush his teeth before breakfast. Tao’s sitting on his – no, Sehun’s – bed and starts meditating?

“You looked so peaceful.” He replies. “Shut up now, you’re breaking my concentration.”

Sehun lets out a frustrated noise between a scream and a grunt and rushes out of the room, leaving a satisfied, smirking Tao behind.

 

 

 

 

 

Sehun walks out of the classroom looking like a half-dead pig.

“How’d you go on the test?” A random girl asks, and Sehun lets out a huge sigh.

“Bad. Bad day today.” He replies and bids her goodbye before walking back to his room dejectedly. At least he has a free period now. As he passes the Chinese group, he hears Tao’s voice and his ears perk up.

“Sorry I can’t hang out, I actually have class for the rest of the afternoon.” He hears Yi Xing and Lu Han sigh in disappointment, an emotion far different from what Sehun’s feeling right now. Sehun smirks widely. Maybe today isn't going to be such a bad day after all.

Yes, he thinks. This is his moment to shine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sehun isn’t sure if it will work out but it’s worth a try.

He’s smiling mischievously when he sees Tao walk in their room, so he makes sure not to look at his enemy in the face for fear that he might find out what he’s up to.

“So how was the test?” Tao asks, a mocking tone in his voice as he goes to his – no, Sehun’s – wardrobe and takes out a black T-shirt and comfortable long black pants.

“Great,” Sehun replies nonchalantly as he lies on the small bed and pretends to read. Hurry up and move already, he thinks to himself as he tries to send signals to Tao’s subconscious. Indeed, Tao then strides towards the bigger bed and uses one hand to lift the blankets up –

 – and screams when he sees a cockroach beneath the covers.

The reaction was much better than Sehun had predicted. Tao had thrown his pyjamas on the floor and had rushed towards the other side of the room.

“Take it out!” He sobs, pointing to that offending thing on the bed. “Take that thing out!”

“It’s your bed.” Sehun replies. “You do it yourself.”

God, this is turning out to be better than he expected it to be.

“I’ll give it back to you!” Tao blurts out as he backs against the wall. “Just take it out of this room!”

“How will I know you’re not lying?”

“I don’t go back on my word! I’m a man!” Tao’s close to crying now, the type that lacks tears. Sure you’re a man. Sehun smirks and gets up, then picks the cockroach by his two fingers and places it very, very near Tao’s pyjamas that are strewn on the floor.

“STOP IT!” Tao now has the strength and courage to run closer and pick up the abused clothes. “Just throw it outside, dammit!”

“You … do realise it’s not real, right?” Sehun’s grin is hysterical as he waves the fake cockroach in the air.

“I don’t care, just take it out!” Tao’s voice is close to whiny now.

“All right, all right.” Sehun laughs and rushes to Kaisoo's dorm room to return the fake cockroach back to Kyungsoo, send a You're-still-not-forgiven glare at the guilty Jongin, then comes back in.

By then, Tao had calmed down and he’s already moved this stuff towards the smaller bed, sitting on it and staring into nothingness dejectedly.

“I can’t believe I just sacrificed my bed.” He speaks softly when Sehun comes back, but Sehun’s too triumphant to care.

“Well, you shouldn’t go back on a man’s word.” Sehum smirks widely.

“How could you lie to me?” Tao shouts. “That thing scared the hell outta me!”

“I never did. You assumed.” Sehun says, eyes narrowing. “Are you calling me a liar?”

“I ain’t calling you a truther!”

“Stop quoting Drake and Josh! You’re not good enough to watch the show!”

“I sure am good enough for Gucci, and both my ears are worth more than a million Oh Sehuns any day!”

“Give me back my wardrobe!”

“Make me.”

They glare at each other.

“This is not going to work out.” They finish simultaneously, and get up from their beds at the same time before fighting to get out of the door, pushing and shoving each other, so in sync it’s as if they’ve acted right out of a script.

 

 

 

 

 

“We want a room swap.” Sehun and Tao both demand once they enter Chanyeol’s room, but Baekhyun and Chanyeol are too busy doing math homework together that they don’t notice.

“Baek-hyung,” Sehun pleads. “Come back, hyung … You can even take back my bed.” Once he comes back, I’ll just find a way to –

“Once I go back, you’ll just find a way to get it back again, right?” Baekhyun finishes, and doesn’t even bother to look up from his work. Sehun gapes and falls silent.

“No, it’s not like that, silly!” Baekhyun sighs and slaps Chanyeol’s hand lightly away, moving to rub something out before poking Chanyeol in the nose lovingly. “This is how you do it.”

Chanyeol smiles dreamily as he stares at Baekhyun. Tao and Sehun choke and send a disgusted glance at each other.

"Besides, we think you'll get along." Baekhyun continues, and Chanyeol nods in agreement. Sehun and Tao turn to glare at each other before turning back to the couple.

“You!” Tao speaks up. “Once I report this to the Headmaster we’ll get our rooms back, won’t we? Then the little one will have to go back.” Tao points at Baekhyun and lets out a large smirk. Baekhyun and Chanyeol don’t even blink.

“Go ahead,” the both of them reply simultaneously, their synching matching Sehun and Tao’s perfectly.

“What?” The both of them gape in shock and look at each other in horror. This must mean …

 

 

 

 

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Tao and Sehun stare at the principal in front of them with their mouths hanging open.

“No, kids, I’m not.” The principal replies. “Baekhyun and Chanyeol have made a good point that since they’re in the same year level and you kids are at the same year level, it’s more reasonable if you guys are roomed together. Chanyeol also needs help in his studies, and since Baekhyun’s in the top 50, it makes sense that they should be together.”

Tao and Sehun start spluttering in protest. The principal holds up a hand to silence them.

“Besides, Tao here is new to our school, so I figured that being with someone they have most classes with is a good idea, don’t you think so?”

“No –“ They both begin.

“Shut up.” Their principal interrupts, then his face melts into a warm smile. “Now off you go.”

---

Whoo! First chapter done. This was originally supposed to be a short story, but it turned out looooooooooooong so I apologise for the rushed feeling of it because it was supposed to be just some oneshot or twoshot or something...